Next Windows Phone update to include VPN support, various fixes

With the launch of Windows Phone 8 almost exactly a month ago, Microsoft is already looking forward to an interim update for the platform. Codenamed Apollo Plus, the update is said to include wireless and audio improvements, as well as VPN support -- a feature that has been missing since the initial Windows Phone release but was part of previous versions of Windows’ mobile operating system.

ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley notes that Microsoft had previously decided against including the latter and instead rely on things like Secure SSL, claiming it’s "a better, light-weight approach" for providing a secure environment to business users. But apparently that was a deal-breaker for many organizations in adopting Windows Phone.

VPN support also proves useful for circumventing government-imposed web browsing restrictions in some countries, and to access online services that are blocked in some regions due to copyright licensing issues.

Reports also mention the possibility of a Notification Center for Windows 8, a feature that Microsoft has admitted it didn't have time to finish in time for release. If all goes according to plan, Microsoft is expected to detail the update during Mobile World Congress in February, with a release shortly thereafter during the first quarter of 2013. This will be the first update to use Microsoft’s new over-the-air infrastructure.